Indiana Jones on DVD

[Lurker 5]

The Digital Bits is reporting that The Indiana Jones Trilogy DVD box set will be announced within the coming weeks. Supposedly it will be a four disc set, containing the three movies and a disc of extras. I hope the fourth disc is something worthwhile, but sadly I'm sure it'll be a let down. I hope they prove me wrong. Also keep in mind that until it is formally announced by Paramount, this is all still a rumor.

I don't mind that this will probably be a box set only release, as I'd buy all three movies anyway. Does this release strategy bother anyone though? I've read at other places that people don't like being forced to buy certain movies in order to get the ones that they like.

Neil - who knows he didn't mention "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" simply because Harrison Ford, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and John Williams (as well as hundreds of other artists, technicians and actors) never made such a film, so please don't even bother mentioning that abomination in this thread.

[AHerrera83 0]

...I hope the fourth disc is something worthwhile, but sadly I'm sure it'll be a let down...

Now why the negativity? I can't understand this. The contents weren't even announced yet.

As for the unmentionable title, I completely agree with you, but if it is included, I hope it's just on the box, as with the video release a couple of years back.

[Lurker 5]

...I hope the fourth disc is something worthwhile, but sadly I'm sure it'll be a let down...

Now why the negativity? I can't understand this. The contents weren't even announced yet.

Because lately all DVD supplements have been pretty bad. I found Minority Report to be particularly awful, after they bragged about how it was 2 years in the making. What did we end up with? Tom Cruise kissing Spielbergs butt and we found out from the stunt coordinator that Tom Cruise is realy good at doing stunts and wants to do them all, but once in awhile, they have to have the stunt man do one that is particularly tricky. I've seen junk like this a billion times and want something new and fresh. The Back to the Future Trilogy set was also dissapointing in terms of documentaries. Watch the "doc" (no, not Christopher Lloyd) on Part II. Half of it is devoted to talking about the first film. This is nonsense. I want a documentary that tells me a story on how the film was made, not just these glorified electronic press kits posing as documentaries.

And you are right, it's not annouced yet, but I think it's a good bet though that Laurent Bouzereau will be involved with these (he does all of Spielberg's stuff) and lately his track record has been pretty lackluster.

And I don't think all extras suck. The Alien Legacy is a very well done documentary. It gives you a real feel for how the movie was made. The documentaries on the Bond DVD's are very entertaining and candid and well made. They are very re-watchable. And there is "The Beginning" on The Phantom Menace DVD which is just brilliantly done.

Maybe I should have added another option, "I only want the movies and couldn't care less about the extras".

Neil

[MrScratch 294]

...I hope the fourth disc is something worthwhile, but sadly I'm sure it'll be a let down...

Now why the negativity? I can't understand this. The contents weren't even announced yet.

I can understand it... The contents don't need to be announced. Spielberg is not big on giving us deleted scenes, so there probably won't be any. Spielberg absolutely does not do commentary, so thats definitely out. A Harrison Ford commentary? He would be the next best choice for commentary... Nope, he has never done a commentary track before.

That leaves us with featurettes and documentaries... We'll hear a lot from Spielberg and Lucas, who will probably tell us the same stories we already know by heart... Harrison did his own stunts, the joke with swordsman in the Cairo market was Harrisons idea cause he was sick, Spielberg came up with the idea for E.T. while filming Raiders... blah blah blah. They'll also praise everyone involved in the film, without going into detail about what they contributed and how. Williams will probably talk about writing an uplifting and exciting March and compare it to the "swashbuckling scores" like the old matinee adventure flicks, again without going into detail about the composing process or any of the other secondary themes he wrote for the score.

And what are the chances that we'll hear from Indy himself? Probably zilch. Included will probably on-set interviews (where they basically tell you the plot of the movie and nothing else) or archived interviews that we've all seen before. Ford has mentioned that Indiana Jones is his favorite film role, yet seems hard pressed to share any of that with us.

Will we hear from Karen Allen? John Rhys-Davies? Paul Freeman? Alfred Molina? Or any of the guys who played the Nazis? (Sorry, couldn't think of their names). I'd love to, but I bet not. Allen apparently didn't like working with Spielberg. And the studio won't go out of there way to track down the other lesser known actors.

So what we'll get is fluff that praises the films, and talks only on the technical effects and the digital "improvements" of the films.

Don't misunderstand me though, I hope I'm dead wrong. I would love for each one of my statements to be the opposite of the truth. There is one thing to consider that leaves a little hope left for a good DVD package... Lucas considers himself an innovator and an envelope pusher. The Star Wars prequel DVDs are chock full of extras (I love the Episode 1 documentary and I haven't even finished going through all the Episode 2 stuff). I'm hoping he has the same attitude with the Indy movies, perhaps maybe Lucas himself will do commentary for the films. This is highly unlikely since he was in the middle of the Star Wars trilogy during Raiders and Temple of Doom. But its a possibility and a Lucas commentary would better than nothing at all... barely.

[Justin 2]

Now why the negativity? I can't understand this. The contents weren't even announced yet.  

This is Neil. It's his job.

Justin - Who found the BTTF docu's fine. And wants all the Indy DVD's.

[Guest]

Well it depends I guess... Are these films owned by Lucasfilm? Are the DVDs being produced by Lucasfilm like the Star Wars DVDs or are they being produced by Paramount? If Lucasfilm is doing them, then the menus and extras could be pretty damn cool. If Paramount is doing them, then blah... they will probably be boring.

[Lurker 5]

If Lucasfilm is doing them, then the menus and extras could be pretty damn cool.  If Paramount is doing them, then blah... they will probably be boring.

Here I go being "Mr. Negative" again. Why do DVD's need cool menus? I just want to watch a movie. I don't want to move around a cursor to start a movie. I want to put my disc in and have it play the movie. I can only think of a handful of discs that I own that do that (and I own several hundred). Fancy menus take up space on the disc, space that could be used to provide a higher bit-rate for the picture, as well.

Neil

[AHerrera83 0]

Here I go being "Mr. Negative" again.  Why do DVD's need cool menus?  I just want to watch a movie...

Ok, Neil, now I'm really confused.

When I commented on your first message, I was thinking exactly that; the movie is the prime attraction. All the extras are just that--extras. I agree that a precious few are outstanding (like the first few Bonds), but most are only the traditional marketing material. Will the Indy materials be outstanding? Let's hope so, but who the hell knows at this point?

Now about the menus, for some people they're also an important part of the package, just as all the extras, so just like you're looking forward to some insightful extras, others will be looking forward to cool menus and still some others care only about creative "easter eggs" (which I personally find annoying to hunt for, but hey, there's something for everyone).

Please don't take this the wrong way, I have high hopes, especially since we've been made to wait for so long, but I just don't want to jump the gun.

Alejandro

[A24 4,331]

Amusing options. I have casted my vote.

By Jupiter, let them be sold separately! Know that I shall not invest in mediocrity. No more.

----------------

Alex Cremers-who wishes Raiders gets a nice restored print that's truly razor sharp unlike some other old Spielberg classics.

[tharpdevenport 4]

Isolated score and deleted scenes and I will be happy.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Why would anyone NOT want all 3??

I mean even if you don't particularly care for 1 of the Indy films you should get it anyway just to have the full series.

[Marian Schedenig 8,192]

I don't want to move around a cursor to start a movie.  I want to put my disc in and have it play the movie.

I absolutely HATE DVDs that do that, and I have a few of them. The movie starts before I have a chance to watch the trailer (I sometimes like to do that before the actual movie), or to set sound/subtitle options. And when you go back to the movie, it doesn't start from the beginning, but just back to where you pressed the menu button, i.e. to the middle of the main titles.

But generally, menu design is a secondary concern. I'd rather have a great transfer with great sound and poor menus than the other way round. Still, it's nice to have cool-looking menus. What I find very annoying is a) when a menu plays the highlight of the score (e.g. Branagh's Henry V, it kinda spoiled the Non Nobis Domine for me), and B) when they have looooong animations. Like the intro stuff on the Potter DVDs, or even worse the intro stuff and all submenu transitions on the Star Wars discs.

Marian - who wants all three movies.

[Romão 2,274]

Of course I'll buy the 3 movies. As fotr extras go, if Lucasfilm and Vin Ling are envolved with it, I'm sure they will be great

Romão, who likes animated menus

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Animated menus? They always take sooo much precious time to load. And then you have to listen to the same snippets of music once and again everytime you go back to a menu. Give me plain menus anytime.

-Ross, who disliked the Minority Report menus, but not the extras

[UCFKevin 0]

Menu's are pointless. They just waste time. They're cool looking but ultimately pointless.

I will buy the Indy DVD set the second it becomes available. I could care less what extras are on there. I just want Indy to be pristine on digital format with beautiful surround sound.

[Justin 2]

Menu's are pointless. They just waste time. They're cool looking but ultimately pointless.  

Without menu's how are you going to access everything? 8O

Justin -Who doesn't get the hostility against DVD's all of a sudden.

[jasonblueeyes 0]

Did anyone see that ' Making Of Raiders Of The Lost Ark' Special or the 'Great Movie Stunts' TV specials of Raiders And Last Crusade.

I have the Raiders Making-of on VHS. You can rent this in some stores.

I bet for sure that these will be on the 'Extras' Disc.

[Lurker 5]

Did anyone see that ' Making Of Raiders Of The Lost Ark' Special or the 'Great Movie Stunts' TV specials of Raiders And Last Crusade.  

I have the Raiders Making-of on VHS. You can rent this in some stores.

I bet for sure that these will be on the 'Extras' Disc.

I'm not so sure. The trend usually is to go with new documentaries, sometimes using footage culled from these older ones.

Neil - who has the Raiders docs on Laser Disc.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Where's the option for

just the first two films,

and not the crappy third one.

Oh well, I guess in the grand scheme of things I want all three(I sold my vhs tapes).

I got $5 for Raiders,

$5 for TOD,

and had to pay someone $5 to take LC off my hands.

[Lurker 5]

Where's the option for  

just the first two films,  

and not the crappy third one.

Joe, the fifth option down is, "I only want Raiders and Temple of Doom."

Neil

[Guest]

Which you wisely put in there for Joe.

[AHerrera83 0]

You know, the really funny thing is that in 2005 a new "ultimate collection" will come out which will not only include the fourth film, but will probably have a whole new set of extras and we'll have to buy the whole thing all over again...

[Ricard 2,245]

Which you wisely put in there for Joe.  

So far I'm the only one who voted for that option.

[MrScratch 294]

You know, the really funny thing is that in 2005 a new "ultimate collection" will come out which will not only include the fourth film, but will probably have a whole new set of extras and we'll have to buy the whole thing all over again...

I don't want a 4-movie Indiana Jones DVD set, I want an Indiana Jones trilogy DVD set with no trace of the fourth movie. I will definitely buy Indy 4, but I want it seperate. Even if Indy 4 is a great movie, it still will always be seperate from the Trilogy to me. And I forget who mentioned it, but I totally agree with them in that... Indiana Jones belongs to the 80s. Indy 4 will either be packed with modern special effects, stunts and CGI (does the thought of a CGI Indy in some shots scare anyone else?) and it truly will stick out from the trilogy. Or, and this is a much less likely scenario, it will be made in the same fashion as the original trilogy and it absolutely will not excite today's movie audiences (mostly kids and teenagers who DID not grow up with Indy) and it will be a box office disappointment, something I don't want to see an Indiana Jones movie be.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

I want all 3 plus extras, so I laugh at the fools who will whine and complain about being "forced" to buy them all when they hate one. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

Even if you dislike just one, don't you still want the whole story? I do. Of course, I'm an obsessive collector, so it suits me just fine.

[Lurker 5]

Even if you dislike just one, don't you still want the whole story?

The three Indiana Jones films do not tell one story.

Neil

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

To me they are three chapters of a whole, love them or hate them.

That is how they were written and created, and whether you love one chapter and dislike another doesn't mean that they aren't telling the story of Indiana Jones.

I consider the same thing about Star Wars films as well. Love one and hate the other, they still are chapters in a story. It's more appealing to me that way, and if Indiana Jones was JUST Raiders or Star Wars was just "A New Hope", I probably wouldn't be here today. Those are the films that got me into John Williams' music as a kid.

In fact, with most of my favorite fictional storylines, very few are one shots. I love the epic stoyline that can go on for years and years. The kind that can tell it's own story yet be tied into a whole.

And yes, just like the 6 Star Wars movies will tell the story of Anakin/Vader, the 4 Indiana Jones movies will tell the story of Indiana Jones. (You can count the Young Indy TV series as well, although I don't remember them that well, but I believe they are canon because Lucas was involved.)

[Lurker 5]

But if you skip one movie in the Indiana Jones series you haven't really lost anything. They don't build on each other. Like it or not, they are stand alone adventures.

Neil

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

True. Each can stand on it's own as a good movie.

BTW, I love all three almost equally and don't follow The Last Crusade bashing.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Each can stand on it's own as a good movie.  

actually two can stand on their own as a good movie, the other(LC) uses a pair of crutches(Phoenix, and Connery).

[Elmo Lewis 6]

True. Each can stand on it's own as a good movie.

BTW, I love all three almost equally and don't follow The Last Crusade bashing.

Yes. But I would have liked it much better if they were a little more different from each other. Raiders and TOD are okay, because they are different enough. They have a "on tonight's episode, Indiana Jones will . . ." feeling to them. Well, actually even Indy seems to act differently from one movie to another.

Last Crusade, while being my favorite Indy score and a great movie, tries too hard to be a sequel to Raiders. I've always felt it could use a little more independence. And it relies too hard on the character of Indy to propel the story. But even so, they allow Indy to act out of character some times, assuming we already know who he really is, i.e. the ridiculous tie he wears in the castle sequence.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

And several other crutches (Spielberg, the score, a great script, and Harrison Ford)

Who is watching old WWII veterans getting ready for their 2 minutes of silence on TV.

[diskobolus 3]

temple of doom is the one i hate... i just didnt like it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Not liking is is completely different fom hating it, now which is is, and what's your beef with it?

Stefancos- who thinks TOD is abrilliant piece of cinema.

[Guest]

One of the best documentaries I've seen are the ones for Tron. Before I saw them, I had no clue how that movie was made. After watching the documentaries with all the key figures of the production some two hours later, I had some idea of how the movie was made. I think it was the most up-front and open documentary I've ever seen out of a DVD. (Although I wanted to find out a little bit more about the Wendy Carlos score--maybe I just skipped that docu.)

Maestro, I think you're insane for saying Indy 4 will be separate from the 80s trilogy. I also think it's insane to say that the movie will be like an 80s movie and boring. Yeah, right. Spielberg can retain the audience's attention just fine. Just because he hasn't done it with an Indy movie for nearly 15 years doesn't mean that he can't/won't do it with an Indy movie. I take a look at Jaws, then at Minority Report, and I can say they are two different movies for two different ages, but they are both great movies from the same director. Spielberg changes with the times. He stays on top of things going on in culture and what kind of movies audiences like and how long their attention spans are. He's the audience's best friend. He cares about what they want to see, rather than only what he wants to make. He blends the expectations of both them and himself and creates the movie from there. Occasionally, he won't try to please the audience and will just make a personal movie for himself (which is what I believe Close Encounters, Always and A.I. are). I think he's entitled to do that every so often. When it comes to Indy movies, he makes them with the audience in mind--just like Minority Report.

I think your error in judging Indy 4 comes from judging past creations, not the creator(s). If Lucas were the only one in charge, I wouldn't hold high expectations for Indy 4.

After Minority Report, I do hold high expectations because I can rely on Spielberg to deliver a great movie. Maybe I'll be proven wrong and Spielberg will make another sequel like Lost World. Then again, maybe he'll really be looking forward to making an Indy movie again and he'll put more effort into it than he did with the first three. You've got to look at the director, not the past movies. It's not the first three movies that are going to make Indy 4; it's Spielberg, Lucas, Darabont, and Ford that will do that. We'd be up the creek in predicting how Indy 4 will turn out if none of those guys had done anything since Last Crusade. Fortunately, they have.

Spielberg turned down a completely new path in his career after Last Crusade, thanks to Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. He was still the same old Steven Spielberg that everyone knew and loved, making spectacle pics like Hook and Jurassic Park, but he'd brought out his dramatic side a lot more. This decade is turning out to be a very interesting one for him too. The first two films he did seemed to indicate a trend: the future. Then along comes Catch Me If You Can, which takes place in the past. Next up are two star vehicles that are whimsical comedies (Terminal and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). So that brings us to Indy 4. What kind of movie will that yield? From where I'm sitting, Spielberg seems to be falling in love with his career all over again, with the way he's making so many movies. And they're movies like none he's ever done before. He's experimenting; he's curious. A guy in his position could just sit back and retire. From the looks of it, Spielberg's far from retiring--just like his long-time music buddy, JW. After Minority Report and A.I., he doesn't need to, I don't think (even though there's likely to be some lunatic out there delusional enough to think so just because Amazing Stories went off the air). Lucas, on the other hand, should start reminiscing about how he used to make movies and get inspired from that or be banned from making movies at all and give him an Echo Base-full of hot rods to fix up. Maybe he should get that anyway. Running ILM and Lucasfilm's softened him. He's more machine, now, than filmmaker! Twisted and feeble [in talent].

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Where's the option for  

just the first two films,

and not the crappy third one.

OK I AM GONNA PRETEND LKE I NEVER SAW THAT COMMENT!!!!!!

[Lurker 5]

Where's the option for  

just the first two films,

and not the crappy third one.

OK I AM GONNA PRETEND LKE I NEVER SAW THAT COMMENT!!!!!!

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Neil

[King Mark 3,631]

I think your error in judging Indy 4 comes from judging past creations, not the creator(s).  .

now who's judging .

K.M.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

Each can stand on it's own as a good movie.  

actually two can stand on their own as a good movie, the other(LC) uses a pair of crutches(Phoenix, and Connery).

I feel it is the laugh-out-loud funniest of the 3 from start to finish, although TOD had that unequally HILARIOUS section in the middle section of the film (Nocturnal Activities - The Bug Tunnel & Death Trap sequences).

Sometimes I don't get some of you guys. I find all 3 Indy movies tremendous movies, 3 of my favorite of all time.

And I could say that every movie with a Williams score has that as it's greatest crutch. Take the score out of any one of them and they'd be HALF the film that they are with his music.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

I think your error in judging Indy 4 comes from judging past creations, not the creator(s).  .

now who's judging .

K.M.

I am, now.

You just made a nonsensical comment, KM!

[Justin 2]

I find the first 20 mins of ToD to be easily the best sequence of Indy action in the trilogy. It just doesn't stop. We have the dance room sequence, the car chase, the pinnacle the Airplane sequecence (You do you know how to fly a plane?), then they jump out go rolling down a hill! Over a cliff into water rapids finally coming to a halt. It's a great piece of film.

Justin -Who doesn't like how The Scorpian King did a crappy imitation of Indy running behind the big gong, while being shot at...

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Spielberg can retain the audience's attention just fine.  (...) Spielberg changes with the times.  He stays on top of things going on in culture and what kind of movies audiences like and how long their attention spans are.  He's the audience's best friend.  He cares about what they want to see, rather than only what he wants to make.  He blends the expectations of both them and himself and creates the movie from there.

I take it Catch Me If You Can and its million endings are an exception.

I admire Spielberg very much, and admire even more the way he has matured over the years. His movie-making savvy is unparalelled in recent years. He knows what a movie needs in most aspects. But I assume most people will concur that his sense of pacing is getting messed up. Give me TOD or Jurassic Park's rythm anyday over Saving Private Ryan and Catch Me if You Can's needlessly extensive length.

I find the first 20 mins of ToD to be easily the best sequence of Indy action in the trilogy. It just doesn't stop. We have the dance room sequence, the car chase, the pinnacle the Airplane sequecence (You do you know how to fly a plane?), then they jump out go rolling down a hill! Over a cliff into water rapids finally coming to a halt.  It's a great piece of film.

The prologue to the movie, around the time Indy makes his "escape" on the plane is a masterful example of how a movie should open: the script, the music, the direction, the editing . . . .All you need to know about the rest of the movie is encoded in that opening sequence. Easily the best one I've ever seen.

[Lurker 5]

I feel it is the laugh-out-loud funniest of the 3 from start to finish, although TOD had that unequally HILARIOUS section in the middle section of the film (Nocturnal Activities - The Bug Tunnel & Death Trap sequences).

While the films are supposed to be a good time and fun for the audience, perhaps because you find Last Crusade to be "laugh-out-loud" funny is why others find it to be a weak entry.

Neil